What did You expect?
by sabina.chaudri
Summary: Based on chapter 423. What happened during the year? How did two people that seemed to trust each other unconditionally come to this? Will it ever be the way it was again? Gray and Juvia are about to confront each other, and while Juvia is filled with emptiness, Gray is overwhelmed by what awaits him.
1. Chapter 1: How it was

**What did you expect?...**

**AN:** I like drama. I enjoy drama. And hence I write drama. Unfortunately, sometimes it turns out a bit "too drama" and this is probably one of those cases… But nevertheless, I will accept this flaw of mine with honor and I will present it to you with pride! (And hope that it's not going to be too annoying ()…I would be very grateful to receive a review, because I am very unsure about this one

Personally, I'm more inclined to think that something happen to him, rather than between them... But in case he was at fault for Juvia's current state...What the hell did he do?! Given how high Juvia's patience and tolerance threshold is... This story is my version of what could've potentially driven her to become the rain woman.

Enjoy! ^_^

**Prologue**

He didn't believe it at first, but then again, he wasn't very surprised either. Not because it didn't sound like her, which in all fairness it did not, but because ever since that day he made sure not to let his mind stray from his goal. That involved discarding thoughts about his far future, thoughts about home and Fairy Tail, and thoughts that could make him waver, drop everything and go back to the place where he last saw her.

He couldn't have that", he kept telling himself, "not when he came this far". "It's too late to go back", "it's just temporary nostalgia", "there's nothing more important than the mission" and etc. Everything people usually say to themselves when they want to make sure their heart's internal screaming would go unnoticed made it's way through Gray's mind several times during the year.

So it's not that it was astonishingly surprising to hear from Natsu that when he, Lucy and Wendy found her in Rainfall Town she refused to come with them and told them to leave. It's just that Gray never actually thought about the possibility, so he accepted reality for what it was:

Juvia refused to leave the village that he had abandoned her in almost a year ago.

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**CHAPTER1: How it was.**

"I will defeat E.N.D. at all costs.

"Yes."

Juvia heard the determination in his voice and she tried to express her own resolution to accompany him in what promised to be an extremely challenging journey.

They slowly made their way to the closest town nearby, found a hotel, which had only one spare room, but two separate beds. Both were exhausted and worn out emotionally, so they settled in as fast as they could and went straight to sleep.

Since the next day onwards Gray and Juvia spent their days researching, trying to find anything and everything they could on Devil Slayers, their magic, Zeref, demons, black magic, lost magic, ancient forbidden spells that might've been involved and most importantly, E.N.D. The last one proved to be the most difficult one of all, especially since both figured he might have not actually been going by "E.N.D.". If this demon was Zeref's greatest creation then descriptions like "hellfire's beast", "evil in its purest form", and "The Lord's rage towards humanity" might've also fitted the bill. Or it could've been something completely unrelated to Zeref… Filtering through what seemed like a ton of useless information was a stage both of them wanted to fast-forward or even skip altogether.

About seven days of intensive reading later Gray began his training. He didn't want to start without gathering information on his magic first, because he needed to know what exactly he was dealing with to maximize his training's efficiency. Juvia kept researching while Gray practiced slayer magic, and she would spar with him to keep his creation magic in form. Taking breaks in between her investigation she would train herself to prepare to stand by Gray's side and be the partner he could count on.

Though a part of her really wanted to practice ice-water magic combinations with him, she waited for Gray's own initiative because she didn't want to make him agitated or feel like he's failing at time management. After all they didn't really have a "deadline" so it was one of those "the sooner-the better" type of situations. They did discover during those joint sessions a few pleasant treats about their abilities and briefly discussed what they could potentially accomplish in battle. However, Juvia felt that when the battle comes, Gray would need to defeat the demon himself. This was his promise to Father. She will be there for support, but she'll leave it up to him. She wouldn't deprive him of an opportunity to fulfill his promise. However, she will keep her promise as well and take care of him. She decided she would only get involved if absolutely necessary. Juvia had faith in Gray.

Days were flying, weeks were passing, Gray wanted to go faster, Juvia cautioned him to go slower, since he had passed out a couple of times while testing his limits. After two months they had a pretty good idea about the origin and use of Devil slaying magic, it's advantages and drawbacks, and knowledge on Dragon slaying magic certainly came in handy since a lot of features were very similar. Gray would try to recall Natsu's and Laxas's abilities, and Juvia would contribute with her knowledge about Gajeel.

Turned out Juvia knew quite a lot about "Gajeel-kun" for someone who claimed not to be involved much with the guy back in the days. Gray wasn't jealous or envious, just surprised, because Juvia did make a point to him the day she joined Fairy Tail that there was nothing going on between her and Gajeel. And it's not like Phantom Lord was swarming with bff's so it was just a bit strange to learn that she had always been quite observant.

They were moving a lot, packing lightly, from one place to another, following any leads they could find, but not getting too hopeful, obviously, because what they were dealing with was a topic of hundreds of years ago, and it's not like they could've just gone to a bookshop and bought "The new, most latest and refined edition of all you need to know about Zeref and his pets".

Juvia became much better with maps to her own delight. She was good at finding her way around and even better at visually projecting the map onto the city to begin with, but she didn't really enjoy this part. Maps weren't really treating her too well, especially when she used to have to unfold it with one hand, while holding the umbrella with the other, and also trying to keep the raindrops from destroying the multi-folded-turned-out-to-be-quite-a-huge-and impossible-to-fit-under-the-umbrella kind of map.

Gray on the other hand was getting more and more exhausted with having to deal with the fact that most places mentioned in the texts were either re-named several times or are just simply non-existent anymore. He had a really nice time that time they had to sit for over 3 hours in a smelly carriage going south down the rockiest road imaginable only to discover that the old town was now a glorified empty desert with a small stream of running water somewhere around the center.

_"This must be the Great Orcina River"_ – thought to himself Gray and sighed heavily.

It wasn't too long after that that they decided to change strategies.

"Avatar?..." – asked Juvia.

"Yes. They're a small cult just two days away from here. We might get there faster if we take the next-"

"Gray-sama? Juvia will accompany you, undoubtedly, however is Gray-sama sure he thought this through? Juvia believes in Gray-sama's strength and the fruits of his training, but these people are practicing black magic…."

Gray was still looking at the map he was holding, trying to spot a shorter rout. It seemed that he did hear her words, just showed no intention of responding.

"Even better," – he simply stated after a pause, - "I can test whether training actually paid off."

He was still looking at the map. Juvia understood and in fact his words made a lot of sense. This would be a perfect opportunity for him and it's not one that presents itself on a regular basis. Some might say that Gray has a tremendous influence on Juvia, but how can you blame her when the man is making some very good points? He had to test his abilities to gain confidence and be sure he did all that was in his power. Juvia wouldn't be fine with letting even a tiny shred of doubt be present in Gray's consciousness or subconscious.

Doubting your abilities usually leads to fatal mistakes…

"Juvia thinks it would be wise to make sure they can be trusted before anything else," –she stated simply.

"We'll observe and then make our move."

She nodded.

Soon afterwards they boarded yet another train, just like all the other trains they took since all of this began, and headed towards one of the most promising destinations they've encountered so far.

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That seemed like such a long time ago...As if decades had past.

Maybe Juvia was right. Maybe he actually hadn't thought it all through. Maybe he should've thought about it again. Perhaps if he did, he would've stopped to think twice before leaving the town. And perhaps he would've stayed. Or at least told her that he was leaving.

_"She deserved better"._

He would hear those words over and over again and each time he'd tell the voice to shut up, because it was too late now. He was already gone.

Gray recalled that the avatars weren't the most comfortable people to be around, but they weren't particularly threatening.

They were very religious, which meant respect and compassion came above all. They weren't hurting anybody, or so Gray convinced himself, and they lived among like-minded individuals so no one in the town was bothered by their beliefs.

"Black magic in itself is not evil", - they told Gray and Juvia when the two mages finally decided to approach these strange people, - "Above all things it is still magic. It does not intend to bring misery. It is You, who decides if it does or if it does not. The cost you pay for your decision, however, is not one everyone can pay. Therefore, only those who believe can truly understand and accept the responsibility of making your own decisions. Black magic is liberating. It is freedom. It is confidence and balance with yourself and your spirit. You are in full control of your destiny, and if you wish to sacrifice your life for your cause, then so be it."

After that Juvia didn't need any more persuasion. These people weren't set on hurting people or using darkness for their own advantage. From what she gathered, they were like magic-adrenaline-junkies. They got tired of playing it safe and were just trying to master something a bit more extreme, with the possibility of death. Extreme sports? Extreme... magic? Maybe. They didn't really have a goal like "bringing back Zeref" or "destroying the world". It sounded more like a lifestyle, a religion they chose to follow. At one point they must've gotten lost and didn't know who they were, but they knew they wanted more. They got tired of people telling them what to do and feeling like their life was just passing by. They wanted to feel like they were in control of something great, something big, something important. Perhaps it gave their lives a bit more meaning...Perhaps they were judged, and black magic made them feel like they were more than what society tried to make them believe they were.

She understood. She really understood what it's like to feel less then what you are and she knew how fast people could jump to conclusions about one another.

After the leader mentioned sacrificing your own life for a cause Gray needed to hear no more. He knew more than he wanted about magic taking away people's lives. And as much as he would like for all those types of spells to disappear once and for all, he knew it was thanks to them that he was still alive.

They weren't switching to the dark side though. No, Gray and Juvia came with a specific task, and they were very much still focused on it. As appealing as this cult made black magic sound they had no desire of becoming members of their strange family. They asked if they knew anything about Zeref and if they could help them. The leader chuckled and gave a them the kind of smile parents give their children when they say something silly. They said they would help them.

Weirdest thing? They didn't even ask why. They weren't interested in why Gray and Juvia were asking about him and what were they planing on doing with this information. And they didn't ask for anything in return.

But like the leader mentioned:

Black magic always comes with a price.

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Continues in **CHAPTER 2: How it went wrong.**

**AN**: About my the "That time was not our last". I didn't not forget about it!... I'm just having troubles figuring out where I want to lead that story... So I'm not updating until I know the ending.

That is not the case with this one. This one I already know. It's gonna be three chapters and now it's just a matter of writing it down. ^_^

So, see you soon! ^_^


	2. Chapter 2: How it went wrong

**AN: **I seriously recommend reading this at night, when no one will disturb you... Please, do not hesitate to contact me, I'm available almost 24/7 and I reply really fast! Enjoy this second chapter, I'm looking forward to your reviews and seeing you soon again in **Chapter 3!** ^_^

**CHAPTER 2: How it went wrong.**

"How could you do this to her?!"

Lucy couldn't keep avoiding the topic any longer.

She and Natsu had located Gray and found him yesterday. He didn't change much over the year. He didn't get much taller; his hair was still the dark mess it always was; his physic resembled that of a young man and no longer a teen, however he still looked no more than twenty years old.

So why could neither Natsu, nor Lucy recognize their dear friend in him?

Gray seemed…bigger.

More intimidating.

His posture spoke of high authority and his face was calm, yet very unwelcoming.

He was surprised to see both of them so far away from any kind of town or village, or an actual road that would lead to one. If Gray had to take a small boat to arrive on this island, then Natsu and Lucy were struggling until Happy agreed to take them one by one. There was a lot of distance to cover and he wouldn't be able to carry both of them for that long. Natsu went first to check out the place and they've agreed that if it proved to be dangerous, Natsu would send them a flaming signal.

"Lucy", - cautioned Natsu.

"No!", - she said firmly, - "I want to know how. I want to know exactly_ how_ you made the decision to just get up and leave like that! You left her there completely alone! With a bunch of psycho creeps! Are you out of your mind?! What were you thinking?! What the hell did they tell you?! Did they brain wash you?!"

"Lucy, please stop,"- started to get up Natsu from the floor.

The three of them, not counting Happy, were sitting in a dark room made entirely out of dark grey stone, where all of them spent the night. There was no furniture there, no artificial source of light either. It was just an empty room with two windows on opposite walls.

"Let go!" – brushed Lucy Natsu's hands off her shoulders, -"Whatever your reason was, and I'm sure it was a damn good one, but you don't treat your friends that way! Especially the ones that care about you so much!"- she was pointing her finger accusingly at Gray over Natsu's shoulder, while the boy was holding her back lightly.

"You should've seen her! She's completely broken and she refuses to leave! She didn't even want to come with us to see you!"

Gray was looking at the floor, his head tilted forward, fringe falling over his eyes.

"Lucy, please calm down," – whispered Natsu in a low voice into her ear.

"No," – she answered in the same manner, - "No, Natsu, I will not calm down…" – so she said but her shoulders were now relaxing as Natsu gave her a gentle squeeze, - "She's my friend…", - she ended defeated, pulling her brows together.

"She's my friend too," – reminded her Natsu, -"Give me a moment, okay? Take Happy and go outside. See if there's anything out there."

That was a poor excuse to get her out of the house, but it's not like she actually needed one. Natsu knew Gray ever since they were kids. They grew up together, so he would know what to say better than her anyway. She didn't have any idea of how to express everything she was feeling in words, but she figured that trying to make him feel worse for what he had done wasn't going to solve anything… But… she was just so… so angry! She didn't know why Gray left Juvia without saying a word in that dreadful town with a bunch of crazy lunatics, and she believed that there was a somewhat reasonable explanation for it but….

But if only he had seen her…

And if only Natsu's plan works…

"C'mon Happy, let's go," – she said to the cat and went outside only to take a seat on a nearby log.

"Lucy was yelling" – tried to lighten the mood Happy.

"Shut up, cat," – she said and sighed in exhaustion, letting her head sink onto her lap.

"How's your hand?", - sat Happy next to her.

Lucy lifted her head to take a look at her bandaged arm. She stroke the material with her other hand and felt a slight sting of the fading bruises.

"It's fine, it wasn't her fault."

"She didn't look like herself at all. Juvia was scary. I don't like seeing her like that," – said Happy, sounding very upset.

"Me neither. Not at all."

"_Please, Juvia…reconsider…_" – sent a silent prayer to her Lucy.

"If only we could convince him to go back…" – she thought out loud.

"If there's anyone who can do it, it will surely be Natsu! Natsu always knows the right things to say!"

"That's true…" – she smiled a little, feeling a bit more hopeful.

"I have faith in Natsu," – stated proudly Happy.

"So do I!" – joined him Lucy as her smile grew wider.

She looked back at the small one floor stone house they've just exited. It wasn't really a house, it looked like a grey box from the outside, covered in creepy black insignias.

_"__Natsu… do your best!"_ – she cheered him, knowing quite well that the boy would hear her.

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"Nice place you've got here," – casually repeated Natsu his yesterday's opening phrase while looking around the empty room with a low ceiling,-"Very spacious."

Gray was not amused. He kept looking at the floor knowing very well why they came and what they wanted and as much as he would like to go back, he just couldn't. They talked a bit yesterday about everything that has been happening since Fairy Tail disbanded. Natsu took every opportunity to mock Gray about how now for sure he could easily burn his ass into a crisp. Lucy was a bit more hesitant to talk to Gray, but she did mention her job as an editor. Gray spoke a bit about his and Juvia's travels.

If they were on this island, then surely they've already seen Juvia, so there was no point pretending he didn't know about her whereabouts. Only the Avatars knew the location of this little piece of land, and it was concealed on all maps by magic.

"She misses you, you know," – continued Natsu, sounding somehow delighted and relieved by the fact, - "She didn't say it, but it was obvious. She misses you."

"_Stop._" – thought to himself Gray.

He felt his chest tightening and a cold breeze started creeping up his body from the inside. His bare feet and the tip of his fingers were turning cold as blood started to flood away. He didn't want to know. He didn't want to _hear_ about her. He knew what he did was unforgivable, and if things were different he would've warned her, he would've made sure she knew, and he really wanted to tell her, because he wholeheartedly trusted her to understand. Juvia would've still been upset, but at least she would've been calm, knowing that he wasn't in any great danger and that everything would be all right. And most importantly, she would've known that he never meant to abandon her like that.

He didn't forget her.

He didn't stop caring about her.

He never meant to hurt her…

"I mean-", - started the dragon slayer.

"Natsu-"

"You can't leave. I know. Heard you yesterday," - finished Natsu lightly waving off Gray's words.

"But if you won't leave for yourself, can you do it for us?..."

Natsu was being sincere and in his voice the devil slayer heard his silent beg. Gray felt something clench his stomach, and his mind was beginning to view this situation as way too complicated, so it was rejecting coming up with a solution. Juvia must've really needed him…

_"__She was completely broken!"_, - he heard Lucy's words again.

He just wanted all of them to get off this island, and leave him alone to continue what he started. He was getting much better with his magic. Although sometimes the slayer mark would keep its presence on Gray's body even after he was done using it. As of recently the mark seemed to spread and it was now covering the majority of his right hand whenever used. It would also take longer for it to fade, but Gray came to the conclusion that his power must've been growing and this was a sign of his progress.

Little did he know...

"Since when are you acting all serious?" – asked rhetorically Gray.

"Since when are you acting like you have no family?" – answered Natsu.

Silence settled in the room. Gray did not say anything.

"What happened, man?", - asked softer Natsu, tilting his head a bit to the side.

"Why'd you leave?"

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Gray remembered that day all too vividly.

It was a cold foggy night and the moon was too close to the ground. The sky was colored an eerie shade of dark blue and there was not a single star in sight.

As soon as they've decided to stay he and Juvia were given a small cottage to live in. Normally both of them would've been smitten by someone just jumping to conclude that they were a couple, but recent travels and numerous times of room sharing became a common trait for them, so they didn't bother explaining.

For weeks now they've been gathering unique information about black magic, demons and Zeref, all the while staying cautious and on alert of being seduced or hypnotized…. or drugged and sacrificed. The latter was more Juvia's concern than Gray's. Throughout her life it became apparent to her that trust is something that needs to be earned.

There was nothing about E.N.D so far, but they did learn more about Zeref and his immortality and death curse. They were speaking to avatars on a daily basis, but it was Avatar Sang, who was the first to mention E.N.D.

"Zeref cannot and should not be controlled for he represents nature's eternal balance: the flow between life and death. His immortality stems from the life around him as he takes it in exchange for eternal peace. As long as there's life, there will be Zeref. Wherever it is, Zeref will be drawn to it, and it is his purpose to take that life, leave death in its place and thus maintain nature's balance."

He spoke with a cold yet passionate demeanor. He believed every word he said and it was hard not to fall for his charm. His speech was filled with conviction and devotion and his logic seemed to be very easy to follow.

Like all, Zeref has a purpose in this world, and that purpose is to bring life to its inevitable end…

"_Angel of Death?..." _– thought to herself Juvia, -_ "Is_ _that what people think he is? Do they think that Zeref... is the one who will come to their death bed and guide them to the afterlife?... The one, who will decide when they perish?..."_

Juvia was becoming increasingly nauseous as with each passing day she learned more and more about darkness.

"So, the Black Wizard cannot be destroyed?" – asked cautiously Juvia.

_You cannot kill Death, can you…_

"There is a legend about a beast created out of pure destruction and flame by Zeref himself," – started Avatar Sang, - "Its power is immense and it will slumber until the day comes to put an end to Zeref's curse. It is his greatest and last creation."

The Avatar kept a close look at Gray, and needless to say the ice mage couldn't hide his excited interest.

"As long as there is life, there will be Zeref. But on that day the skies will part and a mighty roar will spread across the lands. And from that roar Hellfire will break, and it will curse the lands with its flames. And in those flames the world shall fall to its balance, and life will be no more. And Zeref will be no more..."

"_Apocalypse."_ –thought Gray, - "_He's describing the Apocalypse. E.N.D. The end of Zeref is... the end to everything?! He must be stopped. I have to stop him! I HAVE TO STOP HIM NO MATTER WHAT!"_

Gray's mission did not change, however discovering this raised the stakes by far more than he could've ever expected.

_"__Dad…. I promise You, I won't let E.N.D. be awakened. I will defeat him. I will protect the future…. No matter what it takes!"_

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The night was getting colder.

Gray and Juvia told the Avatar that they'd continue tomorrow. Juvia headed home first to prepare the bed and do some tiding up before sleep, like she always did. Their table would always be covered in open books, scripts, engraved rocks, plates and whatnot, and though it didn't bother Gray, Juvia liked to keep the place clean and in order.

Gray told Juvia that he'd be going for a little stroll and he'd be back by the time she finished. She told him to be careful and be safe, and then she sent him a warm and loving smile before heading home.

_Their_ home.

Juva's heart would flutter at the thought and a light tint of pink would spread across her gentle face.

Gray followed Juvia with his gaze until she made a turn and disappeared between the little cottages, and then turned around to start his late night walk.

He did not make two steps before Avatar Sang appeared in front of him again.

"Zeref's last creation. E.N.D."- said the Avatar.

Gray gulped.

"I presume this is the reason you and Miss Lockser are here."

Gray did not respond. He kept looking at the man, slightly clenching his fists and preparing to strike if necessary.

"I shall help you."

With that Gray dropped his knuckles and became completely dumbfounded.

"Come with me. Quietly. The others must not know."

The Avatar started heading somewhere, Gray looked around to check if anyone had seen him, and later when he would contemplate about his decisions he would always come to the conclusion that the first step he made to follow Sang, was the step that changed his destiny.

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After about half an hour Gray stopped at a pier. There was a small old covered in mold boat tied to it.

"What is this?", - asked Gray.

"Were you not listening?" – sounded surprised Sang.

"Yeah, I was. Stopping End. Tremendous power. Dark magic. Island. Increase my powers-"

"Is that actually how you heard it?..." – wondered Sang if perhaps he was speaking too fast.

"You want me to get into this boat and take it to some island that no one knows or even heard about. Forgive me for not being too eager to do so," – simply said Gray.

"It is for your mission, is it not?"

The ice mage clenched his teeth.

"You have been touched by Zeref," – Sang narrowed his eyes, his face became darker and the clouds began to hide the moon.

"The darkness…", - he reached out his hand and Gray took a step back, - "It's under your skin…It's within you…You have Zeref's magic floating in your body."

Gray didn't like where this was going. He remembered the time he took Mard Geer's blow for Natsu. His body had absorbed the curse and became stained with black magic. He wasn't thinking about it back then, but afterwards his heart would often race as he thought of whether that stuff was still inside him.

And then there was his slaying magic….

"Do not be afraid", - said soothingly the Avatar, - "This is your advantage. This is what will help you defeat that, what must not be awakened. Our doom will come one day, and that day may not be too far away…"

_Acnologia is still out there…so is Zeref._

"You are free to decide how to use the darkness within you, remember?", - Sang was speaking and it was as if Gray was falling into a trance. His voice sounded so smooth and comforting…

"You can be in full control, but for that you must go to the Island. If Zeref's magic is within you then the Island will guide you in your journey. You will hear voices and sounds, see images that are not actually there… the Island may speak to you through dreams and other means as well."

"Sounds like fun," - tried to sound sarcastic Gray, but he was too tired to put much effort into it.

"Do not be afraid. Accept it", -continued Sang,- "Accept your fait and let the power within you harness to its peak…The journey is not easy... To become our salvation you must learn to control the darkness! You cannot afford to be reckless! You must give it your all! In order to succeed…and destroy E.N.D."

Sang was taking words right out of Gray's mouth.

Gray was looking at the ground. This was almost too good to believe in. Almost a month ago he had no idea where to begin, and now he's standing in front of a man, who is basically handing him all the answers…. This sounds like a miracle…

_Too good to be true._

"What's the catch?" – asked coldly Gray.

"Catch?"

"You said black magic comes with a price."

Sang looked at the boy in front of him and gave him an apologetic look. Obviously, there would be price.

"For you to control the darkness…. You must free your soul and your heart from all that may control you-"

"Cut the crap and give it to me straight." – interrupted him Gray.

"…Very well…" – sounded a bit uneasy the Avatar with the boy's tone, - "Miss Lockser cannot come with you. The Island will not let her stay for long anyway. On her second week of stay she will experience heavy hallucinations after which she will die in psychotic agony."

Sang gave Gray a moment to process the thought.

The ice mage went pale, and his eyes were about to pop out of their sockets.

"Concurring darkness requires sacrifice. If you are not able to do it, E.N.D. will be reborn and the world will burn in fire..."

_Juvia….._

_Juvia…_

_I can't just leave-_

"Miss Lockser will be in good hands, I assure you personally. She will be protected and taken care of. She will be safe," – didn't let him finish the thought Sang.

The Avatar studied the boys face and it appeared that he wasn't sure with his decision, so Sang decided to urge the mage a little further.

"I am absolutely sure…" – he started slowly using that very comforting voice, - "that faced with the same choice…Miss Lockser would not risk the faith of the world. I am positive she would understand."

At that moment something inside Gray clicked.

She_ would_ understand…

Because…In fact, she _was_ faced with the same choice…

_To hurt the one you lo-…..care deeply about,... or to save the world?_

Juvia killed Keith because if she hadn't, she thought they were all doomed anyway. She made that choice. And he did not blame her for one second for that decision.

So surely, she would understand him.

Gray's face changed and the Avatar smiled to himself.

"I'll tell her first and then-"

"Absolutely not. You must go now." - cut him off Sang.

"What?! I can't even say good bye?!" - raised his voice Gray, sounding a bit furious with the idea.

"This is the sacrifice you must make-"

"This is bullshit! I'm not leaving without telling her!"

"Then you are weak, and the darkness will consume you whole for you do not understand the value of sacrifice and what is required of you. Forgive me for wasting your time."

The Avatar was turning away and he was about to leave when Gray, internally flipping him off a hundred times, felt panic as his only chance of getting the power and strength he needed was walking away from him.

"Wait!"

The Avatar stopped and turned.

Gray's head was hanging low.

"And you're not going to tell her either, are you…." – Gray stated more than asked.

"The Island must not be revealed to anyone who does not belong on it. It's location must be protected."

Gray bit his lips. He cracked his knuckles. Heat started pouring over him, he began to sweat and his chest was tightening by the second.

So before he started loosing it completely, Gray raised his head and said with determination:

"Tell me how to get to that fucking Island."

The Avatar slowly smiled and nodded.

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TO BE CONTINUED IN **CHAPTER 3: How they came to be here. **


	3. Chapter 3: How she handled it

**CHAPTER 3: How she handled it.**

Two days passed.

He wasn't here yet.

Four days passed.

He still wasn't back.

Six days passed.

She couldn't find him anywhere.

Six weeks passed.

She was still alone.

Juvia stayed up until dawn waiting for Gray to come back that night. She tidied up their apartment, just like she always did. Then took her regular quick shower to freshen up, and after putting on her pajamas, sat by the table and waited for Gray to return from his walk. Gray scolded her before for getting too excited about sharing a roof with him, and though she had become a bit less expressive she certainly wasn't any less excited about it! Juvia still liked to assign Gray the role of "the man in the house", so she would let him be the first one to lie down on his bed, so she could then follow and lay on hers.

They never spoke about this little tradition Juvia invented, but it wasn't forced, it wasn't awkward, it actually might've been something Gray didn't even really notice.

But that night he didn't come to lie down first. She didn't know how long she waited, but when Juvia woke up she found herself still sitting at the table, both their beds untouched. And Gray was still not back.

First thing Juvia did, was get dressed, and dashed outside to try and find him.

She called for his name, looked at the places she thought he might've been, all the while battling confusion. It's not like Gray had guy friends here, and he just got super wasted at some satanic bar and decided to crash at a buddy's friend.

When she couldn't find him anywhere, she turned to asking people. You'd think a girl running around town, calling for a person would've made it obvious that she needed help finding him, but that's not how the avatars behaved. No, in this place, you had to ask for something directly, and you had to respond with strong resolve.

That bore even less fruit, because no one saw, heard or smelled anything. Juvia knew the last person that spoke to them was Avatar Sang, and something told her he'd know where Gray was, but it seemed like he disappeared as well. A girl around her age told Juvia that Sang had left to scavenge for some ingredients, and he'd be back in a couple of days or sooner.

Hours later Juvia spotted a path that lead into the woods. She was drawn by the bent branches, the slightly above average amount of fallen leaves on the ground, and the way the grass was flattened as if someone had stepped on it. It seemed to be fresh. Noticing things like that was something she picked up while tracking people for Jose back in Phantom Lord.

_"Two people",_ \- she established quickly.

Juvia followed the tracks and soon enough she was standing on the shore where Gray and Sang had had their brief conversation.

There was a mud outline on the wooden pier.

_"Looks like a boat was tied here."_

_"Did Gray-sama? …" _\- she trailed the thought with caution.

He definitely did.

_"Wait"_, - she commanded herself.

Juvia took a breath and calmed for a minute. She was one of those people that whenever serious got very quite, and that made them look dangerous. She needed to focus and concentrate on her instincts.

_"Is he alright?"_

Yes.

_"Is he in danger?"_

Yes.

_"Can he handle it?"_

Yes.

Juvia had a sixth sense when it came to Gray, and she was always able to tell if he was in a pinch or not.

She extended her arm and opened her hand above the water. If he took a boat, there must be a destination he was heading towards.

Juvia focused as much magic as she could and sent a pulse wave as far through the waters as she possibly could. If there were something ahead, she'd be able to feel it.

However, she did not expect what came next.

Sang told Gray the island was concealed by magic and nothing would be able to spot it.

That appeared to be true. Juvia didn't feel any kind of presence in the water. No barrier, nothing solid, not even the boat, that she was sure had to be in the water. But she did feel an abnormal concentration of dark magic.

_"But, how can that be? There's nothing there…. _

_Is he?... _

_Could he be underwater?"_

Juvia checked again and again, and each time arrived at the same conclusion.

When she tried stepping in the water, she almost blacked out from the pain it brought her.

_"Clever… So, there must be some kind of surface out there, if they're protecting it like this, and perhaps the boat was enchanted."_

She was so sure that Gray went somewhere, but she didn't understand why he didn't take her with him… Or why he didn't at least tell her…

Unless he couldn't.

Gray wouldn't abandon her unless he absolutely had to, he couldn't have! Juvia was determined to grab the first person she saw and have them tell her what the hell was going on.

As she was heading back something was telling her she was about to make a terrible mistake.

_"We've been here for a while, but no one ever mentioned this place. So this must be their secret. But from whom would they keep it a secret? Isn't everyone a part of the cult in this town?"_

Juvia was back at the entrance to the forest. She took a look around.

_"No path. The grass is tall. This area isn't being used often."_

Juvia concluded that the only reasonable explanation was that the town's people probably didn't know about that place.

That was a timely conclusion, since when she took a step to turn around she met face to face with Avatar Sang.

He looked threatening. There was a spark in his eyes, and Juvia figured that she was definitely in the wrong place.

"Juvia is looking for Gray-sama. Have you seen him? He didn't come back-"

"Fullbuster-san has departed on a journey."

"A journey?"

"Yes," – he nodded, - "He said he found the answers he was looking for, and was ready to move on with his mission, so he left straight away."

"He left?...Where did he go?"

"He didn't say. I think he suspected someone would try to follow him, so he kept quiet about is destination as a precaution."

Even though by "someone" the avatar obviously meant a cult member, but somehow it felt like he was talking about her…

"Gray-sama would not have left Juvia without saying anything!" – she was determined to catch him on a lie, because she knew Gray too well. He wouldn't do that to a nakama, and he definitely wouldn't do it to her!

"I know this must be difficult, but I'm afraid it's true. He realized that in order to succeed he could not afford any distractions," – he was talking in that honey-like smooth voice again, as he stepped around Juvia and placed his hands on her shoulders.

"Distraction?..." – wondered Juvia in a distant manner. Somehow her body suddenly felt very heavy, and her head was very light.

"I'm afraid so… Truth is, he doesn't need to be supported right now. Quite the opposite, he needs to learn to stand on his own… You wouldn't want to interfere with that, would you?"

"Juvia wants to help Gray-sama"- she was speaking, but could barely hear her own voice.

She didn't even realize that she was walking right now. Sang was slowly leading her back to the house she and Gray stayed in.

"Every one has a part to fulfill, Lockser-san. And Fullbuster-san has decided that your part was complete. He can carry on without you now."

"Gray-sama…"

"Doesn't need you anymore, you can rest now. You have succeeded in aiding his mission."

They were now standing in front of the house.

"Gray-sama left… because he doesn't need Juvia anymore…"

Juvia wasn't comfortable with that thought at all. That sounded very wrong.

Well... Surely it's not like he couldn't do it without her, but...

But...

But he was with her so far... He never tried to send her away... He never acted as if she was intruding on his mission... He asked her to help him with this book and that... He asked her to spar with him... They had meals together... She was always by his side, since the beginning of this...

Juvia was staring aimlessly into space, wonderful memories running back and forth in the back of her mind.

"He won't come back…Will he." – the last part sounded more like a statement than a question.

"He has a journey ahead of him. Him following back in his footsteps would only mean that he has made a mistake somewhere along the way. We should pray for him not to return."

Juvia was looking at the ground trying to focus her mind. It was so hard to concentrate while he was talking. Even though she knew everything he was saying was a pack of lies, she couldn't help but nod and accept all his words as the truth.

"Juvia... What should Juvia do now…"

Was he really gone?

Did he really just leave her there?

Something dropped inside Juvia's chest.

"Juvia has nowhere to go…"

Before tears could start rolling down her cheeks, Sang gave her a gentle squeeze, and invited her to stay with them.

"Your heart is a heavy one. It knows pain, I can tell. It doesn't have to be this way."

"Juvia's heart is with Gray-sa-"

"Don't let this be a halt in your own journey," – he insisted, not letting her finish her thought, - "Think of it as a turn, a corner, you don't have to stop. You're here. You were led here for a reason."

"Black magic…." – Juvia whispered.

"Let it be your guide. Remember, black magic"

"Isn't evil by its nature," – she continued in a trance.

"It does not intend to bring misery," – urged her Sang, - "It is you, who decides if it does or if it does not."

"It can help Juvia…"

"It can set you free. You will be in full control. Does that sound like something you want?"

Juvia had stepped inside her house, looked around at the room she and Gray had shared for all this time. She glanced at the huge pile of books, the scripts, his clothes, and his bed…. All the things that said she was not currently living a life for herself.

"Stay with us. You will be free." – finished Sang.

He let go of her and stepped out of the house. Juvia was standing with her back to him, when she finally said yes, so she didn't see Sang covering the most devious smile he could master.

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**AN:** Continues in chapter 4: **How it ended**


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